Xavier Tolva
---- |debut=New Threat: Enter Abyss Fang |image gallery= }} Xavier Tolva (ザビエル トルバ Zabieru Toruba) is a Dark Mage in Abyss Fang. His only magic, Koškléftis, seems to be the primary reason he's joined, and the otherwise undetermined man has little interest in their affairs. He carries out orders with no care for the consequences, raising his blade against anyone who stands in the way of his guild's goals. He has earned the moniker Bloodthirsty Demon (殺伐魔, Satsubatsuma) for his insatiable bloodlust and incredible skill in physical combat. He strikes with lethal accuracy and has no remorse for his victims, sweet bliss washing over him with every person he kills. Despite a death toll on some prominent public figures, he seeks to stay under the radar, not wanting to Appearance Regal and distinguished: words such as these may come to mind when one sees Xavier for the first time, rich shades of blue and purple swathing him, flashes of gold buttons the only glimmer before a silver blade is drawn. Distasteful scowls and bored expressions are all too common on his face and it seems nothing can bring him any delight. His hair is deep black, growing down to the nape of his neck. Thick and perfectly styled, a sharp part off to the left is offset by a sweep of hair to the right, hanging over his forehead and partially obscuring his right eye. Rectangular and heavy-lidded, Xavier's eyes are deep-set, giving him a brooding expression in even his most neutral states. Faded royal blue irises reflect his boredom with everything around him, rarely ever lighting up, even in the midst of a battle. Crowned by thin eyebrows that are consistently drawn together in dissatisfaction, he is not an approachable man by any means and quite likes it that way. Sharp and angular, one might compare his face to that of a crow, a rectangular, long nose is a key feature on his face. Perched upon this thin nose is a pair of equally square black frames, with lenses "as thick as bottle caps." A sloped jawline and gaunt face give him an overall very thin facial structure. Xavier is a tall man, standing at an imposing six-foot-one. Despite having a tall frame, he is not broad-shouldered, a narrow, svelte stature. Long legs make up two-thirds of his height, however, he is much less gangly than other thin and tall fellows. A confident posture, he is unafraid to flaunt his height over shorter people and truly look down on others. With a condescending look, demeaning comments fly from his lips as easy as breathing. Lean muscles define his body, deep impressions showing whenever he exerts himself, however, this is almost always covered by extravagant clothing choices. Pale olive skin is littered with small scars, none particularly traumatizing, par for the course in his profession. Xavier is best known for his fashion sense, an entirely indulgent and excessive show of his personal tastes. When out and about he has a preferred outfit, a perfect ensemble put together with his penchant for higher-end looks in mind. On the base layer, he has a simple white button-up shirt, the collar popped to frame his neck, which is tucked into navy pants. A gray vest goes over this, darker gray buttons holding it together in the center. A long, rich navy blue coat is thrown overtop, a royal purple accent complimented by gold buttons and a white trim. Vibrant, deep magenta wristbands and gray boots complete his outfit. When on missions, he has a belt with his sabre and more knives attached, several other sheathes located on his thighs and arms, with a harness hidden under his coat. When in the comfort of his home, he prefers a far more laid-back look. He stills favors a layered look, simple cardigans worn over warm sweaters with basic jeans or, on lazier days, sweatpants. Most of his more basic, comfy clothes are self-made, sewn of materials he finds at secondhand and craft stores. By his personal admission, they are of a much higher quality than what you'd buy at a store pre-made. Personality Xavier is, at his core, an unmotivated person. He has few personal goals pushing him forward and often opts to put other's aspirations before his own. While some could argue selflessness on his behalf, he has stated on multiple occasions that personal investments are wasted efforts. He puts his desires on the backburner if only to let them burst into flames and fade away. He doesn't want to be a successful person and is more interested in other people's goals and success to focus his skills on. Despite a lack of interest in himself, he is enamored with the way people interact with one another, usually distanced from himself. From his pursuit of behavioral science in college to his current obsession with obtaining other’s memories, he loves dissecting people’s thought processes and understanding how they operate. Throughout his primary and secondary education, he mixed well with other people and had markedly good interpersonal skills. He made friends with relative ease despite a reclusive nature, unafraid to branch out and talk to others when prompted. After inheriting Koskleftis, all of his obsessive traits were exacerbated to the point of unrecognition and he quickly lost his previous relationships. He doesn't seem to enjoy talking to others in a normal capacity. He is far more likely to be antagonistic towards people, regardless of the situation and his relationship with them. This is seen most clearly when he is forced to work with some of his guildmates and he insulted and threatened them with no provocation. Even in Loki’s company, he is prone to smug comments, referring to him as Little Red for his position between guilds, despite performing similar functions within their guilds. He has a great confidence in himself and is unafraid to refer to others as subhuman if they don’t meet his standards. Xavier is, for all his vices, a good follower. He has few problems with receiving orders from those he deems worthy of respect and fulfills his duties to the best of his abilities. He has a good relationship with Nero despite his problems with most members of the guild, not allowing any personal qualms to spill over into his performance during jobs. He is easily comparable to a robot, taking commands and never raising a fuss regardless of the conditions, as long as his task can still be completed. Relationships History Eleftherios Kotadi Celio Acerbi Hippolyte von Brandt Physiological Abilities Ways of Combat Grandmaster Swordsman: Xavier's greatest asset in close combat is his impeccable swordsmanship. With his sabre drawn, he is as dangerous and precise as the weapon itself, incapacitating his foes with exceptional skill. Whereas his hand-to-hand combat perfectly demonstrates his physical might, his swordsmanship is where his incredible mind truly shines, revolving around fast and decisive movements in order to make the best use of his weapon. It is by far his most noteworthy and personal combat style, with an obvious favoritism towards using Chionioú. His particular style emphasizes speed and precision, aggression taking the backburner as he overwhelms his opponent's with successive slashes and jabs, never allowing them a moment to defend, counter, or attack when in his range. Unlike the relaxed stance he takes up in hand-to-hand combat, Xavier's positioning is much more structured but just as flexible. With his feet shoulder-width apart he holds a center of gravity as well as a reference point in comparison to his opponent. Ambidextrous, he is known to switch between his leading foot depending on his opponent's own preference, keeping himself on guard and in an optimal attacking range with minimal effort. Light on his feet and quick to draw, few can match his speed and even fewer can truly keep up with his skill. With often unnoticed footwork, Xavier is constantly moving, making minute adjustments in angle, distance, and balance even before he begins an attack. His upper body, however, remains completely still as his hips absorb the shock from his movements, giving him a sturdy framework to draw power from. While it would seem he would be limiting his reflexive capabilities this way, the contrary is true, and he seems to move even faster when he has his blade drawn. A strictly one-handed sword, Chionioú is typically held in his left hand, as it rests in the sheath on his right hip. His grip is tight between his pointer finger and thumb, the rest of his fingers curled around the handle to support the weight, rather than control the blades movements. Most movement of the sword comes from his pointer and thumb, his wrist rarely bending and even fewer movements from his forearm and up. While sizing up his opponent, he prefers to keep the battle mid- to long-range, moving in and out of range to test their reflexes as he performs quick jabs. After he's gathered sufficient information, he is able to go in for the finish. Comparing his own abilities to his opponents, he's able to accurately gauge just how hard he has to work for a victory, and thus, reserves even more of his energy. When he draws in for the closer, his movements become extremely more difficult to track and dodge, the blade hardly more than a blur as it slashes his opponent, cutting them down with unprecedented speed. His jabs are just as quick and precise, aimed at major nerve clusters, arteries, and veins to produce the most effect with the least movement. His ruthlessness is unparalleled, and he is not above slicing his opponent's ears and forehead to disorient them before dealing more devastating blows. Because his blade is only sharp on one side, his movements are further reserved, and his meticulous plans and executions are increasingly more important in this regard. Unlike heavier, larger swords that require a two-handed grip, Xavier's sabre is hardly geared towards any sort of shows of strength. The blade rarely goes in deeper than three inches to prevent it from dulling too quickly, as well as make sure he is not slowed down when he attacks. Even with thrusts, he is reserved when compared to more heavy-handed swordsmen, preferring a shallow, swift attack over a crushing, deep one. That said, he doesn't need to depend on his strength when using Chionioú, instead, delivering enough attacks in a brief period of time that his opponents are unable to recover, if he hasn't killed them already. He is, as thoroughly evident, a vigorous combatant, finding and exposing weaknesses and relentlessly exploiting them until he reaches victory. Merciless and inarguably cataclysmic, he is unafraid to wipe out several people in quick succession by simply slitting their throats before they see him coming. While addicted to the thrill of a fight, he is easily just as entranced by the feeling of a kill, surging through his body and separating him from any fatigue and pain he may be experiencing. Master Hand-to-Hand Combatant: Xavier is an extraordinary hand-to-hand combatant, to the point where he could very easily finish most, if not all, of his fights relying on this style of combat alone. Despite favoring his work with a sabre, his skills are nowhere near lacking, his quick thinking and expansive memory, especially with counter methods, tied with his devastating physical capabilities make him lethal on the battlefield. Like many, he combines several types of martial arts together for one cohesive final product, however, this is due to absorbing the styles of others, rather than seeking out teachers and learning himself. While he has a deep understanding of many different martial arts, Xavier's use of them is sporadic at best, combining dirty tactics with the more refined for an incredibly unpredictable and effective fighting style. As stated, Xavier's combat style is seemingly random, and his stance is reflective of this. He is almost always completely relaxed, to the point where he'll even lower his hands to his sides if there is a lull in the fight. His own streetfighting mixes dangerously with the sporting combat style he "learned" from the MCAA fighter, making him particularly lethal when combined with his disinterest in preserving human life. His more refined style revolves around , utilizing the many different striking and grappling methods associated with the combat art. When he adds in his own experience without traditional training, his fighting style seems to most resemble , which draws in varying "legal" combat tactics and applies them in a real-world setting, rather than the structured variety professional hand-to-hand combatants are most familiar with. He is a creature of habit, as it would seem, falling back on reliable and easy to perform moves early on in fights, and often using them to end skirmishes quickly. His staggering physical abilities allow him to deliver crushing blows in quick succession without experiencing a lull in his strength and speed. Against an unprepared foe, he is easily capable of breaking their bones, focusing his hits on their upper body to quickly cripple them. With a defensive opponent, he is no less relentless, repeatedly striking his opponent until he either breaks through by physical might alone or finds an opening as they attempt to ward him off. His overwhelming speed and strength are no less present in his takedowns. He shows a particular interest in ending fights by quite literally burying his opponents in the rubble after slamming them into the ground. While it would seem he overly relies on his physical prowess, the opposite is true. He wastes not a moment, using his accelerated cognitive processing to analyze his opponent. As the battle goes on, he is constantly bringing in information from the way his opponent responds, compiling and saving it for a later time, either when he fights them again or to deal finishing blows. He is incredibly efficient in battle, preferring an absolute offense comparative to people who flow between offense and defense. He is destructive and uncaring, having no remorse for his actions and the damage he causes. Moreso than apathy, he thrives on the thrill of battle, finding it to be one of few activities that stimulate him at all, and needing to relieve his magic-related stressor. Knife Throwing Specialist: The final of Xavier's combat styles, knife throwing completes the trifecta of a near flawless weapon or free-hand combatant. With keen precision and strength in spades, his skill is no less defined than with his swordsmanship and hand-to-hand combat. While he is unfamiliar with any melee knife work, that is utterly irrelevant, as his skill in throwing more than makes up for any deficit, if there was any when compared to his other talents. With an accelerated perception of the world around him, Xavier is able to watch his opponents as though they're moving in slow motion. He watches for weaknesses, openings in defense, and exposed tendons, nerves, arteries, and veins. Spotting any sort of vulnerability, he immediately capitalizes on it, pulling a knife from any of the many holsters he has around his body and sending it flying towards its mark. When he applies his own incredible speed and strength to his careful observations, he's able to see his knives hit home almost every single time he throws one, measuring his opponent's movements and trajectory perfectly in order to take their motion into account. Being that he has a limited number of the blades, he is not above savagely ripping them out of his opponents, using this particular movement to shred them open and leave them to die that way. With lethal accuracy, strength, and speed combined, Xavier finishes fights against others without needing to get within twenty feet of his opponent. With armorless opponents, he's able to use his superheated blades to sink into flesh, burning through any cloth protections they have and destroying their tissues. When they are protected, he goes for the gaps in armors, which are almost always where major tendons are, limiting their mobility to the extreme. He aims to kill with every knife he throws, sinking into any spot that will give him the satisfaction of a brutal, painful, and bloody victory. By aiming for thinner parts of the body or thicker clothing, he can pin others against structures, his blades easily carving into concrete, brick, and metal. While rarely seen, he is more than capable of throwing 'warning shots,' aiming for shallow cuts that simply graze the skin in order to scare others off or distract them while he slinks around in the shadows. Efficiency is the main component of this skill, and he aims to finish fights quickest when employing this particular set of skills. Physical Capabilities Superhuman Physical Condition: Xavier has always been above average when it comes to physical capabilities. Without even trying, his natural talents exceeded those of regular people and most trained mages find it difficult to match his abilities. As though some sort of trade-off for his inability to cast magic, he is gifted with a naturally enhanced body that adapts to new skills with incredible ease. After learning Koškléftis this increased even further, as he is now able to push past almost any mental barriers that face him, as his mind possesses full memories of him achieving these things. Truth be told, he was able to go beyond his previous limits tenfold after having it forced upon him, learning skills at incredible rates by absorbing the knowledge of others and finding an extremely high success rate in converting it to his own abilities. That being said, his body is not the one the memories belong to, and he has been known to over- and under-perform at times, leading to a somewhat unpredictable ability set. *'Monstrous Strength:' Xavier is in possession of a horrific degree of strength, the most obvious of his abilities in relation to his unholy alias. He is able to deal absolutely devastating damage with his strikes, whether that be with his body, sword, or knives, easily ending other mages careers with precise, powerful hits. His keen eye, bodily awareness, and incredibly vast knowledge on the physical weaknesses of various body types allow him to hit where it hurts and not hold back. When it comes to the true power of his attacks, he's able to completely shatter concrete with a single downward strike, usually with an opponent gripped in his hand, burying them in the resulting rubble. More than this, his brutal swordplay allows him to make clean slices through solid metal structures, all but negating most defensive measures his opposition throws up. Even when using his knives across great distances, he's able to throw them with enough force that they sink into solid brick buildings, easily tearing through weaker materials like wood and, most obviously, human flesh. His pinpoint accuracy is what makes this truly lethal, however, and from over twenty feet away he was able to throw a knife and perfectly sink it into his target's thigh, puncturing their femoral artery and killing them without getting within a ten-foot radius. *'Superhuman Reflexes:' The most exaggerated ability from his newly gained magical influence, Xavier's reflexes far exceed that of even the normal, trained mage. His uncanny response time is almost completely as a result of his vastly improved cognitive functions, which allows him to bring in sensory information from his surroundings, comprehend, and accurately respond without fault in milliseconds. To the untrained eye, it can appear as though he hasn't moved at all if he's able to keep his movements minimal enough. Further pushing the limits of his reflexes is his completely suppressed flight reflex, which would normally protect him, but in this case, would only serve to slow him down. Rather than responding based on true reflex and instinct, Xavier sees and experiences the whole world around him at a slower rate than the normal human being, which only widens the time in which he is able to think, while no time has been wasted at all. He is able to dodge incoming bullets and arrows with ease, and even able to think and move fast enough to reflect less frequent, but still high speed, attacks back to where they came from. In close-combat situations, he is able to effortlessly move around his opponent, which only seems to further infuriate them, leading to even more predictive and easier to dodge attack patterns. Finally, his reflexes allow him to perform quick bursts of melee combos, tying in all of his combat skills and abilities in an almost untraceable swarm of attacks. *'Overwhelming Speed:' Supporting his quick mind and incredible reflexes is his astounding speed. He's able to deliver lightning fast movements in small spaces, as noted in his incredible ability to effectively dodge his opponents moves and deliver his own in incredibly short time spans. He is seemingly able to deliver counters in the same movement as he dodges, however, this is just because he strikes fast enough that his opponents are still in the process of attacking when he lands his hit. In addition to this, he is able to clear great distances in the metaphorical blink of an eye, capable of getting across fifteens city blocks in as little as forty-eight seconds whilst dodging around regular foot traffic. This aids him in combat quite well, allowing him to efficiently move between various targets and use his combined skills to take out as many enemies as possible in as little time as possible. Attempting to overwhelm him with numbers and overstimulate him is ineffective, as he dispatches opponents faster than they can all gather themselves and pose any true threat to him. *'Phenomenal Agility:' Tying in his incredible reflexes and speed into one, Xavier's agility is, with no surprise, particularly remarkable. He is able to make hairpin turns and stop and start his momentum at the drop of a hat, all the while keeping impeccable control of his body as he moves. His overwhelming speed and reflexes allow him to keep far ahead of the curve of most mages, but in the event that someone can theoretically keep up with him, he is able to make frequent enough directional changes that he can throw them off frequently and harshly enough that he can gain the upper hand. He can go from a full-tilt sprint to a dead stop in a split second, rotating on the balls of his feet before blasting forward again, returning to his original speed so fast its as though he never stopped at all. However, the mere act of stopping is what allows such an impressive feat, as his body instantaneously stores the kinetic energy as potential energy before the kinetic energy surges again when he starts off again, preserving his overall stamina and making the best use of every action he takes. *'Astounding Durability:' Despite being more than capable to dodge almost any attack thrown his way, Xavier's durability does not suffer and is easily just as impressive, if not more so. As though taunting opponents who get cocky and unleash a full frontal attack that would be seemingly impossible to dodge, he is able to tank their powerful spells and physical strikes without so much as a gasp for air. A dense bone structure and a thick, corded musculature allow him to survive massive blunt and impact damage without any, or very minimal, damage to vital organs. In addition to this, he is able to resist piercing and slicing damage to a significantly higher degree than most people, though, he is not immune. More than simple absorption of damage, he is able to take huge punishment without giving into the pain or fatigue. Because of the extreme control he has over his mind, he's able to force such thoughts out in the midst of battle, pushing through bullet wounds and broken ribs to force his opponents into submission. That being said, such reckless behavior can cause further harm than good down the road, leading to lengthier recoveries and more long-term damage if he's not careful. *'Boundless Stamina:' Completing his all-around abnormally high physical attributes is Xavier's seemingly limitless stamina. Whether it be his inexhaustive muscle or speed endurance, he is able to push the absolute limits of his physical capabilities without feeling the normal amount of fatigue associated with extensive use of his body. His body naturally releases far fewer toxins after the use of his muscles, which is due to the continuous exertion, and often overexertion, his body undergoes as he attempts the many skills he has knowledge of. While most would have reached their absolute limit, his body continues to produce results long after he logically should have stopped. More than this, the constant inner workings of his mind allow him to bypass physical fatigue and consciously ignore physical limitations and warnings that would stop most in their tracks, if for fear of their physical well-being more than anything else. While just as dangerous as his overexertion in terms of durability, Xavier's body has adapted incredibly fast comparatively, trained to the point where finishing multiples battles back to back is as easy as a regular person might finish just one. Assorted Capabilities Incredible Memory: Xavier has a vast bank of information on a wide variety of topics. These are formed by his own life experiences, as well as those of whom he's killed. This places him in an entirely new group of intelligence and pushes the limits of the human mind, filling him with several lifetimes worth of memories and thoughts while also maintaining his autonomy from these new thoughts. Even before his new boost in skills, he was an incredibly gifted student, passing primary and secondary school with flying colors and going on to earn his bachelor's degree in behavioral science shortly after turning twenty. In addition to scholarly achievements, he was fairly good with emotions, analyzing other people and dissecting their behaviors in order to best respond. While distant throughout his life, he was more than capable of making and maintaining interpersonal relationships with others. *'Comprehension, Retention, and Recall:' Xavier's extensive pool of memories is due in part to his ability to comprehend and retain information almost instantaneously. After bringing in stimuli through any of his sensory systems, he is able to analyze and perfectly apply it to previous, similar situations and react accordingly to incoming information. By taking the present moment, applying it his past, and then reapplying previously successful methods of dealing with a specific problem, he is able to react in the most appropriate and least wasteful way. A creature of habit, he is known to fall into particular patterns of action that can be picked up on after experiencing them several times over. That being said, his incredible memory allows him to pull many surprises out of his bag of tricks to quickly throw people off before getting back into his previous rhythm, keeping his opponent on their toes. While one might think his method of problem-solving would be slow, his spectacularly accelerated perception allows him to process all of his much faster than any human body could keep up, even his own, which allows him to perfectly execute the solution as he slows his thoughts down to work with his body. **'Magical and Physical Counters:' His memory and quick mind tied together truly makes Xavier a threat to others without needing magical skills. He knows about several magical and physical ways of combat, and most importantly, their counters, as he is deeply familiar with their applications and downfalls. His magical knowledge is directly tied to Wind, Fire, and Lightning Magic after gaining the memories of a practitioner of said magics. He has a good grasp on the applications of these magics and the typical patterns users fall into. He holds a particular advantage over those who use their skills to devastate their opponent's with overwhelming brute and speed, rather than particularly elaborate battle plans. He works well against distance and close combat fighters due to his own style of combat. His most common strategy is to continuously dodge attacks in order to aggravate his opponents, opening up weaknesses in their haste to get a hit in. More than these magical counters, he has intimate knowledge of different forms of melee combat, whether that be from long, mid, or close range. Again, he tends to have a particular advantage over brawlers but is also able to predict the patterns of various styles of combat to pull victories over more skill-based fighters. He is in possession of a particularly nuanced style of combat, having brawling tendencies mixed in with incredible precision, which is further offset by his abilities in all ranges of combat. His intimate knowledge of people with different body types gives him a better understanding of their weaknesses as well, as well as the abilities typically exhibited by people of specific body types. All-in-all, this incredible knowledge is what gives him an edge even before he's witnessed someone fight, as he's already accurately assessed their body and fit them into their specific category upon first sight. Accelerated and Heightened Perception: On top of marvelous memory and subsequent applications, Xavier is able to observe the world around him a slower rate than normal people. This allows him to pull in more information in the same amount of time as other people, even compared to those with enhanced senses. This particular ability is what supports his almost flawless reflexes, and is entirely dependent on his magic, Koškléftis. Because his mind has to sort through so much internal information to even comprehend a situation, the magic gives its users an accelerated perception of the world in order to make use of its abilities at all. He is able to see and track bullets fired from some of the fastest firearms in the world without needing to focus on them in the same way one would be able to track a huge cannonball being launched at them. More than this, when he's in close range, he's able to see the way his opposition's muscles twitch as they wind up for attacks, allowing him to dodge even before they've fully initiated their attack, and counter them to fully put a stop to their plans. He is also acutely aware of his body in relation to the world around him, as well as the placement of other human beings around him. This ability is particularly heightened the longer he goes without killing someone else, however, it also begins to overtake him to the point where he's only able to sense other humans, rather than being able to differentiate between friend or foe. Fluctuating Bloodlust: Another ability dependent on his magic, Xavier's bloodlust fluctuates depending on his present circumstances. After particularly gruesome kills, it's completely satiated to the point where he's able to go weeks without feeling the urge again. After one month without a homicide, his body begins to go on autopilot, however, he still has control over his actions if he chooses to suppress it. Any longer than three months and his mind becomes completely consumed with thoughts of murder, to the point where he is unable to distinguish between friend and foe and resorts to killing the nearest human. He is fairly good at maintaining his bloodlust, typically relieving it by seeking sick or elderly people for quick and efficient kills. While arguably less tasteful than killing strong opponents, he usually has little chance to kill others without bringing too much attention to himself or his guild, which would cause rather extreme problems in terms of long-term survival. Proficiency in Cooking, Sewing, and Dancing: While Xavier would most prefer to be seen as a ruthless, emotionless killing machine so as to avoid any excessive bother into his personal feelings, his particular abilities in household work would seem to contradict this particular motif. He is a rather talented cook, capable of making complex dishes and executing them with a deft hand. He typically does this in private but has allowed Loki to begin taste-testing as well, inviting him over whenever he prepares particularly extravagant meals in order to test the limits of his skills. In addition to cooking, he is able to sew. This is most evident in his ability to seamlessly repair clothing rips, making his clothes last much longer than those of someone in his particular lifestyle. He is also able to make his own clothes, but because of its time-consuming nature, he tends to avoid doing so. Finally, Xavier is also able to dance, displaying the grace and skill of a talented ballet dancer on some occasions. This occasionally spreads into his fighting style, and while he seldom pulls any extreme leaps or spins, he can be seen swiftly traversing the battlefield as though a rhythm is playing in the background, his feet gliding to the tune. It is by far one of the strangest things to witness, as his chaotic fighting style would never seem to work with such refined, balanced movements. Magic Magical Capabilities Magical Ineptitude: From the moment he was born, Xavier was doomed to the life of a common man. A unique genetic mutation ended up giving him the short end of the stick, and his magic origin ended up producing energy entirely adverse to ambient ethernano. This ultimately means that his internal magical energy cannot combine with ambient ethernano, and thus, he cannot create magical spells of any kind, as it completely and utterly repulses it. After having Koškléftis forced upon him, Xavier has experienced a sort of awakening and has since begun expanding his limited pool of abilities to the absolute limit. He has discovered he can manipulate his aura to mimic the abilities of various magics, as well as charge lacrimas and magical items through physical contact. However, he has noted his magic aura does not raise more than 6 inches off his body and very slowly permeates the air, making it difficult for long-range Magical Aura Manipulation: Xavier is an incredibly adept aura manipulator, to the point where most people mistake it for an actual magic upon first seeing it. By exerting his magical aura and altering its physicality and properties, he acts similarly to a true mage. His incredibly intimate knowledge of three different magics, as well as a more general reach on magical applications, he is able to mimic the properties of some elemental magics. In addition to mimicry, he can solidify his magic aura at a much faster rate than most mages, due to it being very limited in terms of distance from his body. He can also produce a regular, run-of-the-mill aura, and when he does, his is a vibrant shade of indigo, attracting great attention. On its own, however, it is not very intimidating or useful at all, though it shows rather incredible repulsion abilities due to his magic energy not combining with ethernano. He tends to mislead people into thinking he's a magically focused fighter, only to devastate them with his physical prowess. *'Paralyzing Aura:' Using his knowledge on Lightning Magic and applying it to his aura, Xavier is able to replicate the paralyzing qualities of their magic, though in a somewhat unorthodox way. He focuses his magical energy outwards and gets in close with his opponent, forcing away nearby ethernano. This makes it more than twice as hard for mages to cast their magic, as well making their spells half as effective than normal do to the ethernano deficit. This opens many opportunities for Xavier to pull the upper hand, especially against mages who rely on their magical abilities in battle. The effect can only last as long as he can support it, and with a subpar magic origin, he can go a total of five minutes without feeling fatigued. *'Searing Aura:' A version that requires a bit more concentration, Xavier's Searing Aura allows him to produce an intense heat within a four-foot radius. By causing frequent collisions by overloading the six-inch space of his aura with magic energy, he is able to produce a heat that puts most Fire Magic Users to shame, though, that is where his inspiration comes from. The sweltering heat is enough to cause first degree burns on anybody who stays within the influence of his aura for more than 10 seconds, as well as making the area much hotter, causing more sweat to flow. This, in turn, makes it more difficult for his opponents to grip their weapons if they have any, as well as inducing hyperthermia after one minute of exposure. That being said, the concentration and energy required for the spell limit to a three-minute usage with an extensive cool-down time. *'Forceful Aura:' By charging his aura in a specific part of his body, or an extension of his body, like his sword, Xavier can exponentially increase the force of his attacks. By mirroring the effects that Wind Magic has on physical combat, he causes his aura to instantly form from the point of impact. This increases the blunt force of his punches, kicks, or otherwise, blasting opponents with enough power to break concrete. When channeled through his sword, the blast of aura follows the sharp blade, increasing its slicing power rather than the blunt force. It can be noted that the aura attack does not, in fact, come off his body or sword, however, meaning if his opponent were to evade, it would do nothing. Koškléftis Koškléftis ( , Kosukurefutasu lit. Ability Theft) is a rare Caster Magic that was bestowed upon Xavier early into his adulthood. His non-existent magical abilities made this a rather fitting magic for him, and he has since been known for this magic's influence on his person. It has served him well, allowing him to pursue a career as a mage, though, an illegal one. Its primary ability allows Xavier to absorb the memories of those he kills, whether in combat or just in passing. This ability is passive, and requires no activation, simply forcing memories and knowledge from the murdered human being into his mind. Rather than being painful, however, this experience is truly euphoric, granting him several long minutes of pure bliss in which he is aware of the world, but is detached from the way his feelings and senses interact with it. This magical "high" leads him to rather actively chase after more kills, and he's claimed the stronger the person, the longer the moment of ecstasy lasts, leading him to precarious situations as he attempts to take on stronger and better opponents. While he would argue he is in charge of this desire, a more primitive feeling is directly tied to the magic itself that forces him to kill others. Should Xavier try to resist killing, he would slowly be overtaken by the magic's influence, until he becomes totally bent on murdering whoever is nearest to him. Koškléftis has granted him a great wealth of knowledge on a variety of topics, including a deep understanding of hand-to-hand combat and sword fighting, as well as knife throwing and magic applications. This has allowed him to be prepared for almost any situation, giving him great close-, mid-, and long-range capabilities. His most honed ability is his work with blades, capable of dispatching an experienced mage with his knife throwing alone, though he enhanced them with his aura and dealt most damage before the mage even knew he was there. This is due to him having the most personal experience with these abilities. In addition to these more practical abilities, he has learned how to do simpler, hobby-related tasks, such as sewing, cooking, and dancing. Though he would never brag about these abilities outright, he can be found sharpening these skills in his spare time, though he simply claims it helps him calm down after particularly stressful days. His knowledge of dancing has even shaped his combat style, some remnants of previous minds stirring his movements in the heat of the moment. Equipment Chionioú ( , Chionio lit. Snow Blade) is Xavier's . From end to end, it is forty-five inches long, the blade itself thirty-six inches. Forged from high-grade steel, it is flexible and built to last, treated with a lacromic agent that allows him to bring out its freezing qualities. The sword isn't meant for direct parries, its thin, agile form evident of this. Much straighter than the standard sabre, one could mistake it for a longsword if not for the distinct handle. The handle has the signature guard over his fingers, protecting his hand from strikes. Chionioú is kept in pristine condition, great amounts of time dedicated to oiling and sharpening the blade, as well as simple maintenance and cleaning. The sheath is a simple, blue-black faux leather, attached at his hip by a belt. Ellinikí Fotiá ( , Eriniku Foti lit. Greek Fire) are Xavier's set of . Each one is identical to the next, eight inch long blades attached to four inch long handles. Made up of a steel, all but the edges are stained black, the handle itself made from the same material as the blade. Meant to be thrown perfectly straight, the blades cut through the air with ease, never flipping as they head towards their target. The knives are treated with a lacromic agent, though this one grants his knives an incendiary quality. The knives are kept in many sheathes around his body, three on each thigh, one on each bicep, two on the left side of his hip, and a chest harness containing four more, for a grand total of fourteen. Like his sabre, his knives are kept in pristine condition in order to preserve their high quality. Because he only has fourteen, he must be constantly aware of where they all are to prevent losing any, as he has no means to have any more forged, as he isn't sure who made them. Extras - Concept and Creation= Xavier is, at his core, inspired by my own personal feelings and thoughts. As referenced in his poem, he is merely a vessel for others' dreams. His own thoughts are rarely his own, and anything he achieves is done in the name of other's goals and aspirations. He is to be lived vicariously through by the past users of Koškléftis, those he kills, and those above him. He has little to no agency of his own and is merely a tool used by others. Similar to the sabre he wields, he is single-edged, never striking back against his wielder. That being said, he is not a victim of his circumstances and has very clearly chosen the path he is on. The few things that truly light a fire in his eyes are what he clings to. This is seen in his fixation on fighting and killing others, which, even then, is only a result of his magic. He craves normalcy, demonstrated by his extremely lackadaisical attitude towards his current situation, to the point of total apathy. This is most similar to my own feelings towards academic success; there is great validation in a well-earned grade but chasing it is oftentimes more tiring than its worth. His borrowed skillset is a testament to my thoughts towards the carbon-copy intelligence school teaches; without his individualized approach, he would be totally unable to use the knowledge gifted to him. He and his partner are near perfect foils of each other, even though they were conceptualized entirely separate from one another. With similar skillsets and ideologies, the two have entirely different lenses from which they view their lives but still end up in the same place. One without the other is fine, but together, they are unstoppable, complementing each other without stepping over their boundaries or muddling their character traits. Xavier displays common personal struggles, exaggerated to a scale to make him a foreign, yet all too familiar antagonist and an excellent parallel to many people, characters and authors alike. - Quotes By= - Quotes To= - Excerpts= - Statistics= }} Category:Characters Category:Character Category:Male Category:LGBT Character Category:LGBT Characters Category:Dark Mage Category:Abyss Fang Member Category:Koskleftis Magic User Category:Hand-to-Hand Combatant Category:Swordsman Category:Sword User Category:Knife User